Iran security chief threatens to strike US bases in Europe if used to bomb Tehran

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Wednesday that Tehran would not limit its response to US bases close to Iran.Mohsen Rezaei said on Wednesday that Tehran would not limit its response to US bases close to Iran. (Photo: Reuters)As Washington and Tehran remain locked in a tense standoff, Iran has issued a stark warning about the consequences of any fresh US attack. Tehran says its retaliation could extend far beyond the Middle East, with American military bases in Europe and other distant locations potentially becoming targets if they are used to launch strikes on Iranian territory.Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Wednesday that Tehran would not limit its response to US bases close to Iran."If American aircraft take off from an American military base, even one located in a European country or some other distant region, to bomb Iran, we will strike those bases as well," Rezaei told Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen TV.TEHRAN THREATENS TO EXPAND ITS RETALIATIONRezaei said Iran's response to any fresh US military action would extend beyond facilities that have already come under attack. Iran's security chief said the country would target "America's more distant military installations -- including the ones we have not yet attacked". "We may even strike certain islands that they assume are beyond the reach of our missiles," he added during the interview, which was conducted in Tehran.The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against countries in the region hosting US military assets. Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq also entered the conflict, widening the confrontation across the Middle East.NO DIRECT US-IRAN TALKS, REZAEI SAYS Despite diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Pakistan, Rezaei said Tehran was not currently negotiating directly with Washington."I affirm that we are not conducting any talks with the Americans at the present time. There are no negotiations between the United States and us at present." He also dismissed reports that talks were taking place in Qatar, calling them "lies and slander" and claiming they were intended to ease economic pressure and push oil prices lower.Rezaei said Iran had also received no clear response from Washington to its demands."The response we received from the Americans was a deceptive response and was marred by much ambiguity and confusion," he said. "We asked them to give a frank and clear response to our conditions, and to this day they have not provided it, and they may provide this response in the future."IRAN HOLDS FIRM ON NUCLEAR MATERIALIran's position on its enriched nuclear material remains another major obstacle to any deal. Rezaei said Tehran would not allow its enriched material to be removed from the country. He said Iran intended to retain the material for what he described as future nuclear-powered ships and submarines."We need the enriched material to design ships and submarines that work on nuclear energy," he said, adding that Iran had informed Moscow that its stockpile would remain in the country and "we will use it ourselves".The Strait of Hormuz is another major pressure point in the confrontation. Iran has linked the reopening of the strategically important waterway to Washington accepting its core demands, including an end to the war, the lifting of sanctions and blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and other conditions.Rezaei said the first priority in Tehran's diplomacy with Washington was ending the conflict across multiple fronts. Iran has also demanded an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of the conditions it has set for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy shipments.The Iranian warning comes as US officials have recently appeared less eager to pursue another round of military action. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that there was no need to attack Iran again, pointing to what he described as successful efforts to undermine the Iranian economy.In recent days, President Donald Trump has also recently played down the prospect of another war with Iran. The shift has come after Republicans suffered losses in the November 3 midterm elections.- Ends